Penderel's Oak, Holborn

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Reasonable spoons nestling close to the legal district of Lincolns Inn. The pub pays homage to the legal tradition of the area by having bookshelves lined with legal textbooks and directories such as the slightly outdated Legal 500 2007 edition. Now I am sure this is just for show as I cannot imagine that too many high flying barristers would be preparing a big case sitting there next to the proletariat enjoying the beer and a burger deal.

Pub itself is cannot really be faulted. It has the usual spoons atmosphere but nothing that warrants complaining about. Staff are fairly efficient (although I've always been when it's fairly empty) and beer range is quite varied with some interesting guest ales on when I last visited.

There is also a small patio garden out back which is fairly unusual for Central London spoons and is quite nice when the sun is out.

Nothing spectacular (it's a spoons) but nothing that will stop me returning at some point when I'm passing.

Open on a Sunday, which if you are coming via the City is a blessing since most of the pubs appear to be closed around here. Fairly bland Wetherspoons but it serves good ale and there's plenty of space. This would be a good pub for down-at-heal lawyers to prepare for a case if the power went off in their office if they couldn't afford the electricity bill.

A curved shaped pub with a low ceiling and subdued lighting which gives you the feeling you're in a library. Several rows of books only add to the impression.There are various sections including a beer garden.The choice of beers was a little disappointing with Greene King, London Pride, Abbot and Doombar all on offer. However there was also Mauldoons Bronze Adder, Titanic Desert Hero and Arkells Kingsdown.I had the Adder and the Desert Hero both of which were very drinkable.It was mid afternoon when I visited the pub and there was a pleasing lack of the usual Spoons all day drinkers. In fact it was pretty peaceful! The toilets are downstairs . Both the stairway and the toilets themselves have wood panelled walls and the layout of the urinals is original.

One positive: the pint of London Pride was in excellent condition. Sadly it was priced at Â£3.60 ! Although there were plenty of civil and keen bar staff, the old JDW practice of all pumpclips forward, but several ales 'off' was evident - even to the point that staff would attempt to pull a pint then announce 'it's off'. For these reasons = 3/10.

After the Hamilton Hall, the Masque Haunt and the Shakespeare's Head, we arrived at the Penderel's Oak, a fairly large Wetherspoons on High Holborn. It has a slightly unusual shape. This was my second or third visit here. But probably my first visit during the summer, as it was the first time I've noticed there is a garden. Has a reasonable range of ales - Titanic Iceberg, Sharps Doom Bar, Greene King Abbot & IPA, Fullers London Pride & Conwy Rampart. Ciders were Mr Whiteheads Boxing Dog, Sheppy's Farmhouse Cider, Bottle Kicking Cider Company Cross Farm Perry & Green Valley Doctor's Orders.

I was in a private party in the basement. The access to the floor was for staff and guests invited specificaly for this party. When leaving after the party I did not take my umbrella. I realised it outside but as it was very late, after midnight, I though I would come back next week. I sent the only available email on the website. Never responded to, even thou they read it. When rang their number they said they do not have the umbrella. It just vanished. But they said the staff definitely did not take it. I asked to confirm it via email. Never happened even though the girl on the phone promissed to do it. It is either Bermuda Triagle in the pub or ghosts steal the guests' belongings. Shameful ethics.

Large 'spoons on High Holborn. My first visit on a Thursday night crawl and I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of bar staff eager and ready to serve.

12 taps which had 8 ales & 4 ciders and perries on. Choice of ales not brilliant as among the offerings were London Pride, GK IPA & Abbot Reserve. My choice was Butcombe's Great Grey Owl, which was decent.

Small garden was very busy so we stood at the bar opposite the book cases lined with old books...very 'spoons!

Comparing this pub to the Melton Mowbray further down High Holborn I must say that despite the usual tackiness of a JD Wetherspoons pub it's atmosphere was much more invigorating and alive than the cardboard cut-out customers of the mowbray. Better pub

Staff turnover seems high, and the staff often indifferent. However this is a large pub with plenty of seating areas and pleasant lighting. It can get busy later in the evening while some people pop in for a quiet meal around 5pm. Choice of real ale is usually very good. Prices are higher than you'd expect from this chain but still under the London average.

Like this pub a lot. I like that it has little corners and hidey bits to sit in and the food, as long as you choose wisely is good. If only they could splash their fried eggs to cook the top of the yolk I'd be in heaven. As it is I avoid the veggie breakfast as I can't do the jelly on the fried eggs thing. But their cheese and pesto panini is good, as is the veg curry. Also like their cider selection, which is reasonably priced in comparison to the rest of London. Savannah Dry is my favourite.

Went on a Friday evening, horrendously busy and the a bit short-staffed, however the flipping customers weren't helping, the woman in front of me was asking the hapless barmaid a myriad of questions about the white wine he was ordering, err, this is Wetherspoons love. After this discourse finally came to an end she pulls out a credit card, her round was about £7! Bloke next to me then pays by credit card for 2 drinks, I've only ever seen this in London, JDW should put a stop to it. Rant over, it's a functional pub with one or two real ales worth drinking.

Rather expensive for a 'spoons. It is OK decor wise but there are many, many better pubs in the area, and teh Sam Smith's ones (Citee of Yorke, Princess Louise) are actually cheaper as well as more characterful

This pub has improved immeasurably since I last 'reviewed' it a number of years ago. At that time the service was poor and slapdash at times, but I think this is something that Wetherspoon's have addressed in more recent years. For the most part I find service at Wetherspoon's pubs efficient and friendly, and this was true of my recent visit to the P.O.

The pub gets rather over-busy during the week but was quite cosy on Sinday evening (busy enough to feel lively but not overly so). The range of beers (and quality) was good as well. Revise rating from '4' to '8'.

Visited here for the first time last week with a Meetup language group - excellent evening when we ate, drank and managed to speak well with each other.But, apparently, it is now no longer possible to book tables together downstairs for this sort of group.So, even though we are a guaranteed group of 30 or so people and growing (which sounds like about £500+ of revenue), we will now have to go elsewhere where we can be sure of some tables and space together.Such a pity, as I do like the steak nights!ASR

Usually pretty reliable - you can always get a seat and the beers are well kept. Staff vary from excellent to downright surly, but generally speaking it's one of London's better 'poons. They've also got a 'real' fire. Handy for Chancery Lane tube, too.

Tables aren't always as clean as they could be - when I asked for ours to be wiped, the lass behind the bar handed me the cloth. Leave off, that's your job.

Like all Wetherspoons a couple of years ago this place wne through a bad phase and wasn't prepared to go back. However at 11am on Saturday not a lot is open and braved to look in again.

Like a number of Wetherspoons now things seem to have improved well. There's a really good range of ales on tap and it is far less busy than the 'Spoons in Kingsway and more reliably open on a Saturday than the Knights Templar - this is also recomended - which is good.

Was open after 11 so we reluctantly ventured in. I had forgotten just how awful spoons pubs are. It looks like a service station canteen from the 1980's. The only redeeming feature and i mean only, was the fact it had a few decent ales on. Bright carpet, fruit machines, posters with photos of their nasty food offerings. Just a big corporate profit machine. Unbearable.

We're fairly good fan's of spoons on the whole but out of the many we have visited have to say this was the worst, so much so that we only had 1 drink here before leaving. Reasons for this were, firstly it wasn't particularly clean, tables were loaded with empties n not as if pub was that busy, think was down to staff as they were not very welcoming, not very helpful n certainly not in the mood to serve anyone or rather I should say they were choosing who n when they were serving, having got a drink to sit with n mull over our lunch choice on return to bar, bar staff purposefully ignored for nearly 10 mins which just made us leave which we promptly did, going round the corner to Knights Templar pub which was by far a more superior pub than this one could ever wish to be, definitely one to avoid in my opinion

The food seems to be straight out of the freezer via a microwave and poor value for money to boot. With an even bigger recession looming why not up the game and offer better food- your customers are not farmyard animals you know.

A pleasant suprise for a Wetherspoons pub. Spacious upstairs with open seating and snugs by the bookcases with a cellar bar that didn't seem at all claustrophobic. Good selection of ales and the food on this occasion was excellent (meatballs, haddock fishcakes, nachos). This afternoon visit was only marred by the barmaid having a stand up row with a customer, whilst two barmen (one possibily the manager judging by his attire) looked on and did nothing to calm or resolve the situation. Entertaining but not welcoming. Worth a second visit though.

Grecian's review is accurate. A convenient Wetherspoons but not one of the best - dark/drear and a bit muggy inside. The beer quality is, as one would hope, fine but there is no other real pleasure in visiting this place.

A fairly typical 'Spoons. The pub itself is rather uninspiring, comprising the ground floor of an office block - inside it's rather dark and not very well air-conditioned. There's a large downstairs bar which keeps rather irregular hours, and which I've only been in once or twice. Decent range of ales: I'm afraid I visited after a wedding in the area and was rather worse for wear, so I can't remember names, but I had a couple of decent pints here.

From both quality of ale and speed of service perspectives this is probably the best JDW in the area. Can get very busy on a Thursday/Friday night but so does everywhere around here. I imagine it will benefit from some of my hard earned cash during the upcoming festival.

Paid a visit on Wednesday last week and, although it isn't my favourite ale, I plumped for a pint of Greene King I.P.A. which was perfectly acceptable. If they keep all of their ales in a similar condition then you won't go far wrong. It has to be said that I'm not a massive fan of Wetherspoon pubs, but I can honestly say that this is one of the best ones that I've been in. The beer is always in good nick and, although I'm not a frequent visitor here, on the occasions when I do pop in then the experience beer-wise is usually favourable

This could be the best Wetherspoons in London. Always a good selection of well kept ales, decent bar staff and even quick service for the food. Has a second bar/room downstairs that stops the upstairs one getting too crowded. I always call in here when walking down Holborn and I've never been served a bad pint.

Dropped by for the 'poons Beer Festival. The place was pretty busy, and all the beers I tried were in spot-on condition. The staff could try and crack a smile now and then, but this is still the best London JDW I've been in - not that I go in them much.

The usual huge Spoons with a good selection of ales and bog standard lager nearing its expiry date.

There is plenty of seating from high tables and sofas at the front of the pub to normal tables and chairs in the 'library' section towards the rear. Once I had worked my way along the winding path to the bar the barmaid that served me was actually on the ball and I was served quickly. Granted it wasn’t busy, but I didn’t have to wait for her to put down the clipboard and to stop counting the stock as is the norm.

I wouldn’t drink in here again as there are better pubs around, but my recent visit wasn’t a hideous experience.

Went there to see some sport during lunchtime as, unlike most Wetherspoons, has several good screens in the basement. How disappointing!! The ales were frozen, the service awful, and to had to ask several times to get the TVs switched to the right channel. For information your more likely to have sucess in this if you ask the staff serving the food rather than the hopeless bar staff. Talking over food one of our party commented, quite accurately, that his chilli con carne arrived quicker than it took to order.

Spent a lovely couple of hours in there recently with a couple of glasses of wine and steak and chips. Good food, very friendly staff, excellent value and as it was a cold and rainy day we were happy to relax next to the open fire. Thumbs up for this one.

I was disappointed with the standards in there yesterday (Sunday). The service was very poor, with short measure pints, an attempt to clear away a clearly unfinished drink, forgotten cutlery more than once, three reminders required before a dessert appeared, and one attempt to serve a dish twice (which seemed to flummox them completely). What an earth would they be like when they are busy?

Always one of the better 'spoons - busy, but nothing like as shouty as many of the pubs in and around the City. Low-key lighting with sensible use of candles too. Some excellent beers on for the Spring real ale festival, and certainly 10 times better than the ghastly Shakespeare's Head up the road a bit.

I've been in here quite a few times now. When it's busy there's the usual 'Spoons problems - not enough staff, grubby tables etc. A big plus is that there always seems to be a good range of guest ales - four on yesterday - and I've never had a less than good pint there.

Not too crowded when I was in there with an after-work crowd last week, but busy enough to give it some atmosphere. A good range of different guest ales on, making a change from some of my recent JDW experiences, where just the “usual” Spitfire, Pedigree, Abbot etc predominate and in some case comprise the entire ale range. The O’Hanlon’s Goodwill was especially tasty. Another pleasant change from the norm was enough staff to cope with a moderately busy pub, so that nobody seemed to be kept waiting for very long. My friends and I had another appointment elsewhere but in truth we wished that we could have spent longer here.

I've been there a few times with a friend when on my lunchbreak as it opens on a Sunday unlike The Knights Templar. Though I've never had a pint there (well, I wouldn't want to fall asleep at my desk would I?) I'm reliably informed the beer is good. One of the barmen has a good selection of one-liners which is obviously welcome but otherwise I feel very neutral - which is, I'm sure, what you're meant to think in a Spoons. 6/10.

Had a pint of Saltaire Chocolate Stout in here, very nice. It was coming to the end of the festival and while they had 7 or 8 on not sure any were the festival beers. Basically a bog standrad Wetherspoons and busy as it was a Friday night.

I was in the Penderels Oak last night and enjoyed a couple of pints of O'Hanlons Dry Stout , which went down very nicely. I wouldn't eat there however. What the mouse infestation and all. The carpet hides them well and the buggers moved fast but we definitely saw a couple scurrying around to the rear of the pub (not too far from the kitchen).

Met my ex boyfriend Peter here but apart from that it's fantastic - toilets are very glam, upstairs AND downstairs, the beer is both cheap and strong. The clientelle can sometimes be very 'chav'/hip hop, but it's easy enough to avoid them if you sit in the far corner.

My experiences of this place have always been quite favourable - I was there with some friends last Friday / Saturday night and they quite liked the place too. I'm not normally a massive fan of "Spoons" but this place is probably one of the better ones I've been in.

Definitely a cut above the average 'Spoon - everything on the Wetherspoon tick list is there but it's somehow more of a living organism. The beer is uniformly top class. Do I detect just a little hint of a rainbow/ pinkish tinge to the staff? Whatever, cheers lads & keep it up (the good work).

Pleasantly surprised by how good this 'Spoon is. Friendly, attentive staff, spotlessly clean and quick service. Light years ahead of the Shakespeare's Head 'Spoon at the other end of Holborn. I'll be back, and I don't say that very often about a chain pub. How can two branches of the same company less than a mile apart be so utterly different?

Probably about the best spoons I've been in. It almost feels like a proper pub by their standards, Ales are well kept and even the food wasn't too bad. Staff friendly and attentive. Usual ridiculously low prices

Spent the evening in here this week and thought it was fine. Good range of ales and bottled beers, prompt service despite it being quite busy.. been in once before but didn't realise the downstairs bar was there - moved down there and spent the rest of the night in a cosy corner feeling very chilled out, I like it! BUT - closing that downstairs bar at 1030 sends my rating from a 8 to a 6. why, why why?!

I got a large number of people in for a birthday do last Saturday. With two days notice the bar manager agreed to hive off the family area for me when the families had finished for the evening, which meant I had that part from about 9pm onwards, which certainly helped. They managed the tab well, and people had a good time, so well done the Penderel's - the staff seem like a good team.

Don't frequent this place on a regular basis but from what I recall of my last visit the ale was spot on and the food was quite good too - in fact my mate Hawkesey said it was one of the best Wetherspoon's he'd ever been in. Certainly not as bad as some of the other comments make out.

"The worst run pub in London" because it doesn't show the particular football match you want to see?

There are many who think the biggest mistake Wetherspoons ever made was to start having TVs and, in particular, show football on them. If any neutral observer wants to find out why, check out the difference in the type of crowd and consequent atmosphere in this place when a match is being shown and at any other time. There are plenty of other pubs, in this and any other area, which are happy to show live football at the expense of an acceptable drinking environment for other customers: go there, not here.

To repeat the gist of my previous posts on the Penderel's Oak, this has all the Wetherspoon positives (a good range of drinks at very good prices, OK service, unspectacular but reliable food in a spacious and clean environment) but avoids the unfortunate Wetherspoon negatives, and in particular drunken loudmouthed chavs bellowing about football.

Beggars belief this tip. South African bar "manager", poured me a pint the other day, and the barrel went off when he had done about 2/3 of it,..he clocked me, to see if i had noticed,..obviously presumed not,..pumped the head a bit to froth it up,..and then came over and served it,...fcking funny,..ludicrous tit,...Reckon he thought i was a tourist or amateur!....God knows how many people get palmed off with this dross in here, knowing no better!

When i told him that id like it filled up, he gave an audible sigh,..and moaned like a spoilt teenager how that, in order to finish the pint he would have to change the barrel,..and *sigh* "did i really want to wait?" "Yes,..yes i do" i said,..and he flounced on down to the cellar,...i in turn,..flounced on out!

This must be the worst run pub in London!I have watched football in the cellar bar on a couple of occasions only to be faced with atrocious service and all the real ales being unavailable after half-time. I had planned to watch the recent England game here but found that the bar had been hired out for a private function (I believe that only the downstairs bar has Sky) and that the Scotland game was being shown in the main bar area.This is the second time that the management have allowed something similar to happen. Truly a shocking pub.

Back on form now the World Cup is over - wasn't one of the ideas behind the Wetherspoon concept an absence of TV? - and therefore once again the place to be for a civilized Saturday night in the centre of town. To answer the previous poster: some of the previous comments were absolute rubbish, in particular those making snide comments about some of the customers, and yes I did make a point of checking that the advertised real ales were actually on offer.

I can't help pointing out that a few of the comments posted about this place are absolute rubbish. I may perhaps be somewhat biased in their favour because of the fact that they have complete disabled access and facilities, a necessity for me personally, and the allegedly erratic availability of real ales is not a primary concern for me as I drink bottles of Magners when in there. However, on the last couple of visits I made a point of checking this: on each occasion, in the ground floor bar at least, there were six ales advertised and all six were available, all evening.

Although Wetherspoon's food tends to be pretty generic, I tried a chicken tikka masala last night and it was actually pretty good. What's more, being a Thursday, it only cost about a fiver with a free drink thrown in. The crowd are also pretty decent for a Wetherspoon - don't be put off by Lonegroover (yeah, too right) and his comments about "Traceys".

Typical Spoon’s pub in the City. Quiet when we visited but it was 11am on a Saturday. Out of the 8 or so beers advertised only 3 were actually on sale, but the quality was good. Probably better during the working week.

Used to be an after work regular here but it's gone downhill so much we go elsewhere now. The range of guest beers is not kept up, and it takes far too long to get served now, waiting behind groups of Traceys ordering bottles of WKD and paying for a £5 round with a bank card.

This used to have a good selection of guest ales, but now you will just get 2 out of the 12 hand pumps upstairs.Then you will have the long-winded process of finding someone to serve you and then trying to get them to understand what you want! This has definitely gone down hill over the last 12 months.Shame.

Pleasant, comfortable interior. However upon arrival at about 10.15 pm on a Saturday night was informed that only two (Abbot and Golden Delicious) of approximately 10 real ales were currently available. This was down to one (Golden Delicious) by the time I ordered another drink at about 10.50. This is ridiculously poor service in my opinion. I also didn't like the sour-faced attitude of the male member of staff in a blue shirt, with ponytail and keys dangling down.

Another good meeting-up pub. I mostly prefer the other Holborn Wetherspoon, Shakespeare's Head, because of the more lively location, the greater mix of customers, and a more down to earth feel, but really there's nothing much to split them, and there are days when I am happier in this one.

A good choice of Czech beers usually makes for decent pub. However, this place got it slightly wrong and you need a good knowledge of the Czech language in order to get a beer.

It has TV which is slightly odd for a Wetherspoons, but they are reluctant to put the sound on upstairs, even on big sports events. This ruins the atmosphere, but if you want that why are you in a Wetherspoons?

Standard usually bog-standard Wetherspoon but the bar was filled with pink ballons when I last went in as they had a promotion on for pink champagne. One other customer suggested to his friend that it looked like the photo the hospital gave him of his haemorrhoids (fortunately he didn't have it with him). Aside from looking like a proctologist's nightmare, the beer was very good and well kept and the range excellent with guest ales from the spring beer festival as well as others from the spring guest ale list. My rather lively pint was topped up without having to ask.

Typical Wetherspoon pub, like many now has screens for the footy/videos downstairs. The beer and food were fine when I visited it last, and they usually have been previously, but like other users I find it a soulless place.

Had a rather frustrating wait in here on Saturday evening when there were only two bar staff upstairs. The place seemed a bit soulless, but then I like having some quiet. The beer and food was fine and reasonably priced as usual since it's Wetherspoons.

I've been here a fair number of times and never really enjoyed it. If you order food it takes a long time to get served, some of the staff seem permanently bad tempered (with some noteable exceptions). The beer is worse than in most wetherspoons - which is a shame as they often have quite a few guest ales on which i'd like to try in proper condition. Not a great place.

Very busy pub with the usual Weatherspoons beers and well priced wine list, the smoking area where you first walk in can be offputting but the back is quieter and fresher. It is probably time that this pub was redecorated as the floors and toilets are getting a bit shabby.

Staff are very nice and didn't have to wait too long to get served at the bar. Barman kindly acted as policeman to stop thuggish louts smoking in the non-smoking area. However, why are glasses in Wetherspoons pubs never truly clean? It does to take a nice clean hanky along with you to D.I.Y. Not a bad pub at all though.

Huge pub with enormous downstairs bar. It was far too loud when I visited the place, but I must say that the air conditioning was fantastic and I didn't have to breathe in too much of my companion's cigarette smoke. Ok place, very much a Weatherspoons.

Without a doubt the worst 'spoons pub in London (with the notable exception of the Edmund Halley in Lee SE12)! It is also the largest. So large infact that it is devoid of atmoshpere. This is certainly true of the main bar area.

Was there with some friends last night watching the Aresenal Chelsea game (in the "cellar" bar) Firstly the bar itself has been "paved" using fake uneven quarry tiles - result; means that you stand your pint on the bar @ your peril. Which leads me onto the beer itself. A couple of the taps were having the pipes cleaned and were adorned with the "do not touch" notices. Hardly a sign to instil confidence in a drinker! Fosters was sickly and flat. The stella was warm and the Kroenbourg was, frankly disgusting. While we ordered no food plenty of people were and it looked horrible and barley edible

The only thing to recommend this shabby pub is the "novelty" toilets. But you don't go to the pub just to marvel @ their khazi's do you??!!

This pub isn't bad, good food, good atmosphere - if you want to chat stay upstairs, if you want music go downstairs. Toilets are a good design but are always blocked and it sticks in there. Takes ages to get severed at the bar too and the staff are always moaning at you to move. The reason its full of 'suits' is because the area has barristers chambers all over and buildings full of offices. People dress smartly to go to work, what's wrong with that?? And i'm sure they dont go on about how much they earn......maybe the person who wrote that is a little jealousy he isn't on as good a money as they are!!

Cool toilets? The gents toilets in this place are a design nightmare. Who decided it was a good idea to put the urinals on the outside of a large circular column, which takes up too much space and makes you have to squeeze past the back of another unfortunate bloke in full "flow" to get to the one free stall which isn't blocked? A woman, presumably. There are tried and tested ways of doing bog architecture and they should not be experimented with by the design school show-offs!

We use this pub for group meetings on Sundays, the staff are friendly, service is great and being in the city it's very quiet. It's also really easy to get to, and Lincolns Inn Fields is right behind it (down the alley to by the main entrance) if you wanna sit outside for a bit in the hot weather!

well well, another miserable loud as you like lawyers and office workers dump! blag blag bullshit on about your wages and career utterly disgusting clientele hitler stalin trotsky and hess would seem almost bearable compared to those arrogant full of themselves scumbags. right: food ok drinks ok atmos -when not full of boring suits -quite pleasant actually. Catch it early, on a weekday-please dont go on a fri evening...youve been warned-otherwise "im on 50grand -im on 70grand...boring...especially silly as im from belgravia! (watch out who you show off next to boys!)and theyre from clapham!

Speak as you find - I've always found the Penderels to be a good pub. Definitely better than most of the other pubs in the area. Good selection of drink. Only bad point - gets full of suits "on the pull" on the Thursday / Friday nights.